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Why Australia needs women in renewables

It is a well-established fact that diversity and inclusion lead to better outcomes for businesses and employees alike, and the renewable energy industry is no exception.

By Clean Energy Council Women in Renewables Chair Natalie Collard

The industry is growing at a rate of knots and it is important to make the most of the benefits of diversity.

Unfortunately, the female participation rate in the Australian energy industry is only 22 per cent. This means that the industry is missing out on some bright sparks. Ours is an industry built on innovation and a belief in a better future, and it is important that we have diversity of thought and skills among our people to lead the way.

To support this goal, the Clean Energy Council launched its Women in Renewables Scholarship. Now in its third year, the scholarship supports the recipient to undertake the Australian Institute of Company Directors Foundations of Directorship course to ensure that talented professionals are equipped with the knowledge and confidence to put themselves forward.

The scholarship is designed to promote gender diversity in senior leadership roles across the clean energy industry and increase the pool of talented women in renewables taking the next step towards roles on boards. But it’s more than that too. The successful candidate will be a role model and advocate for women in renewables and the renewables industry more broadly.

AGL is an organisation committed to diversity in its workforce. Under the leadership of Managing Director and CEO Andy Vesey, a Male Champion of Change, AGL is achieving greater gender diversity across all levels of its business. AGL has met its goal to achieve 30 per cent female representation on its board of directors and is on track to meet 40 per cent female representation in its senior leadership pipeline by 2019.

“A diverse and inclusive workforce allows companies to better understand the people and communities they serve. The Women in Renewables Scholarship is an important initiative to support diversity across all levels of the renewable energy industry,” Mr Vesey said.

The winner of the 2018 Women in Renewables Scholarship will be announced at the Clean Energy Council’s CEO Forum on Thursday 30 November. To find out how you can get involved with the Women in Renewables initiative, please visit the Clean Energy Council website.